Services firm ITS swallows Networks by Wireless assets

Acquisition doubles size of Cheshire managed services and comms provider

Runcorn, Cheshire-headquartered managed services and broadband specialist ITS Technology Group has swooped on the assets of Networks by Wireless, which entered administration earlier this month.

Roy Shelton, chief executive of ITS Technology Group, did not disclose the sum paid for the acquisition of the South Yorkshire reseller but indicated it would double ITS' size.

"Networks by Wireless has built a significant footprint and acquired an impressive client portfolio over the last 15 years," he said.

Customers included Aberdeen Council, Vale of Glamorgan Council, Bedfordshire Police, and Countess of Chester Hospital.

The acquisition would help ITS provide a richer end-to-end fixed and wireless broadband offering in both urban and hard-to-reach areas, and further develop its managed services capabilities, he said.

"It will also increase our network assets; for example, we now own the Digital Dales in Teesdale, County Durham, which delivers wireless broadband to the area's hard-to-reach rural locations," Shelton said.

The buy safeguards "a number of jobs, including key technical operatives", which would ensure continuity for customers, he indicated. Networks by Wireless will be rebranded as ITS immediately.

June saw ITS buy wireless broadband provider CityServe, so Network by Wireless is its second acquisition this year.

As reported by ChannelWeb earlier this month, Networks by Wireless' financial woes were in part caused by delays to orders affected by the 2013 uproar following the discovery that certain food products had been found to contain horsemeat.